Support anti-fascist prisoner Tomasz Wilkoszewski!

Tomek Wilkoszewski, Zaklad Karny, ul. Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland

Tomek Wilkoszewski was jailed in March 1996. He's been deprived of his freedom for more than five years. According to the verdict of the local court he must spend ten more years in prison. What did he do to deserve such a sentence?

Tomek comes from a little village near Radomsko (a typical small town in central Poland). He was a good student and was finishing a technical highschool. He wanted to continue his studies afterwards. He was working to pay for his studies. He had never been convicted before and had never been in contact with the Police before that fateful day of March 1996.

But he ran out of luck: First, there was a nazi-skinhead group in Radomsko who was trying to rule the town. The assaults and the bullying were daily occurences that were overlooked by the Police and the local authorities. Most of the time "strangers" would be attacked, i.e. newcomers like Tomek who was driving to Radomsko each day. Someone who had been beaten by a band of these nazis went to the police and he was told: "If you weren't looking for fights, you wouldn't have been beaten. You should stay quiet." Tomek had been a victim of the attacks several times. Once, someone tried to pull out one of his eyes.

What happend next was nothing more than the logical consequences of this situation: With no help to be found, the terrified youngsters tried to defend themselves. The death of a young man was no more than a part of this tragedy (after one of those fights, a nazi-skinhead died from loss of blood while waiting for an ambulance).

Second, Tomek was accused of the murder. As he had often been assaulted, he had a motive and, according to a few witnesses, he had a knife. This so-called crime instrument, which was used as evidence by the prosecution, has been subject to no examination or investigation that could unequivocally confirm the accusation. During the judical procedure there were a number of similar uncertainties, but that wasn't taken into account by the Judge who at that time bowed to the pressure of public opinion which was asking for the most severe penalties.

Third, the prosecution and the Judge wanted to demonstrate something. The fifteen year sentence given to Tomek and the lesser sentences given to the eight other defendants were outstandingly severe. The witnesses of this judicial process were outraged by the justification of the sentence which "should have an educational function for the convicted as well as for the entire underworld!" No extenuating circumstance were recognised and Tomek received one of the highest penalties in Poland. But on the other hand, nazi-skinheads, or other criminals would get away with an eight year sentence for murder with premeditation and were out of jail after four years. This is what this justice is about: high penalties for the nonconformists and the poor who can't afford a good lawyer and mild penalties for the Mafia and the thugs.

But Tomek had also a bit of luck. Anarchist Black Cross groups and other anti fascist groups got interested in his case. Polish TV transmitted a movie called "Riot", and the biggest Polish newspaper published a long article about the case. While being interviewed for a newspaper as well as in front of the cameras, the nazis spoke openly about their actions of cleaning the town of all kinds of strangers. These two documentaries were quite highly publicised across Poland, but were ignored by the court.

In prison Tomek managed to finish his schooling, he got a job and the prison authorities have a good opinion of him. After four years Tomek's supporters managed to have the appeal trial (kasacyjna) held. It happened on 27 September 2000, but it was dismissed by the Court for buerocratic reasons.

Unfortunately until now, all requests for parole have been denied. In the current situation the only chance for getting Tomek parole passes, chances to study or change his prisoner-status would be with legal help from a lawyer. However, the costs are beyond our capabilities. You can send letters, fanzines, tapes, CDs. Write to him (in English preferably ):

Tomasz Wilkoszewski
Zak³ad Karny
ul. Orzechowa 5
98-200 Sieradz
POLAND

Source: ABC Bialystok

See website: www.wilkoszewski.pl for more info.